Travelers destined for Hawaii's Big Island this holiday season are running into a roadblock before even boarding the plane thanks to a shortage of rental cars on the island – and price gouging of what remains. The issue made its way to Reddit earlier this week when a topic moderator in a Hawaii forum created a pinned post titled, “PSA: There are virtually no car rentals (including Turo) on Big Island for the next 2 weeks. Read this post for your options.” “There are essentially no more car rentals for Big Island during the Christmas holiday,” the post reads. “All rental agencies show as sold out, and according to recent posts Turo rentals are limited and listed as high as $2500 for a week.” It's worth noting that a representative from Hawaii Tourism Authority disputed this, telling Travel + Leisure that rental car prices are higher, “but cars are available at the major car rental companies at both Hilo and Kona airports, as we expect during high demand periods like the holidays.” However, searches done by Travel + Leisure on Hertz, Enterprise, Sixt, and Avis yielded no availability for pick-up at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) in Kona — the island’s top resort destination for tourists — and just seven options on Turo, with the cheapest option being $274/day during the last two weeks of December. “Travel experts have always recommended booking holiday travel as early as possible to secure the best deals and inventory,” a representative from Turo told T+L. “Turo experiences seasonality, just like other major travel companies, and we frequently remind guests to book a car as soon as possible, especially in popular vacation destinations.” A representative from Enterprise Mobility also confirmed that holiday demand is at an all-time high. “With the busy holiday season upon us, the demand for vehicle rentals at Enterprise Mobility is strong across all three of our rental brands — Enterprise, National, and Alamo — and we expect this to continue through the end of the year. Hawaii is always a popular destination for holiday travelers – and our current reservations show this year is no different,” the representative said in an e-mailed statement. “From a pricing standpoint, our rates are determined by several supply and demand factors including location, dates of travel, length of rental, availability as well as when the reservation was made.”
Southwest’s Cyber Monday Sale Is Here — With 30% Off Flights Across the U.S., Including Hawaii
02.12.2024 - 18:15 / travelandleisure.com
Southwest Airlines is offering up to 30 percent off flights across the country and beyond for Cyber Monday, allowing travelers to plan their 2025 trips in advance.
The sale, which must be booked by Dec. 5, is available for travel across the continental United States from Jan. 7, 2025, through March 5, 2025, and available on certain days of the week to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and to international destinations from Jan. 7, 2025, through March 22, 2025, Southwest shared with Travel + Leisure. To book, customers must use the promo code “CYBERSALE” on Southwest’s website.
“Start your browsers because our Cyber Sale is ON,” Southwest wrote in a Facebook post about the sale. “No lines at checkout, just cyber-rific deals on 2025 getaways.”
The sale is not valid on several blackout dates, including on Sundays, and on Jan. 2, Jan. 4, Jan. 5, Feb. 13, Feb. 14, and Feb. 17 when flying within the continental U.S. Travel is also blocked out for international destinations, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico on outbound travel from Feb. 13 to Feb. 16 and from March 7 to April 19, and on inbound travel from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23 and from March 14 to April 27.
The sale discount applies to the base fare and does not include a discount on government taxes and fees.
The promotion is available to use on one-way or roundtrip Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares.
The sale comes ahead of Southwest’s plans to end its long-standing open seating policy and instead offer assigned seats and introduce premium seating with extra legroom. The airline will also launch its first red-eye overnight flights next year.
It also comes on the heels of the airline’s decision to start landing procedures at a higher altitude in an effort to “reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries.” Starting Dec. 4, flight attendants will start preparing the cabin for landing at 18,000 feet instead of the previous 10,000 feet.
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Hawai’i is notoriously expensive to visit, but it’s also one of the most magical places in the US for a family vacation. There are endless things to do, from exploring the beautiful natural landscapes and beaches, educational cultural activities, wildlife spotting, world-class water sports, snorkeling, and diving to resorts with amenities that set the bar incredibly high for other hoteliers around the world.
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39 Travel Tuesday Deals 2024: Save Big on Flights, Hotels, & More
Travel Tuesday may be technically over, but there are still a bunch of ongoing deals you can take advantage of. From glamorous resorts to beachfront hotels to tour operators and cruise lines, the Travel Tuesday deals were bigger and better than ever this year, and the savings haven't ended yet. Whether you're interested in scoring 30% off low-cost flights to Iceland via PLAY or want to hop on a cruise by HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) for close to half off the original price, this is the best time of year to save. Use the links below to jump to a specific section, or scroll through to see all the best Travel Tuesday travel deals that you can still cash in on.